Chesterfield bed mechanism

ABSTRACT

The foldable frame of the invention provides in the unfolded position a substantially horizontal mattress supporting member divided into a body portion supported by intermediate legs and an end portion having foot end legs. The body portion is itself divided into pivotably connected forward and rear portions, &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;forward&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; being in relation to the back support. An upwardly extending rear lever is pivotably connected at its lower end to the side of the chesterfield; the other end of the rear lever is movable in an arc below the back support. A swing lever is connected at a medial point to the other or upper end of the rear lever with the portion of the swing lever forward of said medial point extending upward to pivotably connect with the rear portion of the support member. Means are provided to maintain the rear portion of the support member in a fixed position when the frame has been extended. On manually lifting rearwardly the forward portion, means release the swing lever to rotate it downwardly and then rearwardly on the rear lever with the swing lever lowering the rear portion of the support member into a lower rearward position through the horizontal. Further means then rotate the swing lever until it adopts a substantially horizontal position with the rear portion of the support member substantially vertical and the forward portion is substantially horizontal but in a lower plane and rearwardly than in the extended position.

United States Patent [191 Gerth [451 Mar. 18, 1975 CHESTERFIELD BED MECHANISM Primary E.raminerCasmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-C. C. Kent; K. M. Hill [57] ABSTRACT The foldable frame of the invention provides in the unfolded position a substantially horizontal mattress supporting member divided into a body portion supported by intermediate legs and an end portion having foot end legs. The body portion is itself divided into pivotably connected forward and rear portions, forward being in relation to the back support. An upwardly extending rear lever is pivotably connected at its lower end to the side of the Chesterfield; the other end of the rear lever is movable in-an are below the back support. A swing lever is connected at a medial point to the other or upper end of the rear lever with the portion of the swing lever forward of said medial point extending upward to pivotably connect with the rear portion of the support member. Means are provided to maintain the rear portion of the support member in a fixed position when the frame has been extended. On manually lifting rearwardly the forward portion, means release the swing lever to rotate it downwardly and then rearwardly on the rear lever with the swing lever lowering the rear portion of the support member into a lower rearward position through the horizontal. Further means then rotate the swing lever until it adopts a substantially horizontal position with the rear portion of the support member substantially vertical and the forward portion is substantially horizontal but in a lower plane and rearwardly than in the extended position.

5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures 1 CHESTERFIELD BED MECHANISM FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to chesterfield bed mechanisms of the kind which include a serially connected multi section foldable structure designed in its folded condition to be accommodated within a recess located behind the front rail of a chesterfield. The folded structure contains a folded mattress; after removal of the seat cushions positioned above the mattress the structure may be unfolded to extend over the front rail of the chesterfield to provide a structure with the floor engaging foot and intermediate legs to support the unfolded mattress thereby converting the chesterfield into a bed.

PRIOR ART Various foldable structures have been developed for the purpose of converting a chesterfield into a bed but to facilitate their accommodation when folded it is usual for the recess behind the seat rail to extend below and behind the back support. This provides for the rear part of the folded structure to be located below and behind the back support. To achieve this result the folded structures in use havelinkages so arranged that on unfolding, the rear portion pivots downwardly around the back support after which it rises to extend outwardly over the chesterfield rail until it provides a substantially horizontal support with floor contacting legs.

A particularly advantageous multi section foldable structure is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,188 granted to the present inventor. This structure provides an easy and low glide pattern by jack knifing the intermediate leg pair with a simple locking assembly for the head section when the mattress supported thereon has been unfolded. In common with others on folding the structure is adapted so that the rear portion passes under the back support to finally locate itself in the recess behind the back support.

In recent years there has been a trend for chesterfields to be less bulky with seats positioned closer to the floor; the trend has been dictated principally by increased apartment living. To achieve lower seats the lower edge of the back support and its contained stuffing bar around which the fabric is turned must also be positioned closer to the floor than hitherto. In a chesterfield bed, such positioning of the stuffing bar to provide lower seatsreaches a point wherein existing folding structures are not capable on unfolding of both clearing the back support and the floor.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable frame which will enable chesterfield beds to be constructed with seat levels lower than hitherto possible.

It is a further object of the invention to adapt the foldable frame described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,188 so that, while it retains its easy glide pattern and locking assembly, it also is capable of providing the requisite pivoted movement around the lower edge of the back support when it is as little as 12 inches from the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In summary the foldable frame of the invention provides in the unfolded position a substantially horizontal mattress supporting member divided into a body portion supportedby intermediate legs and an end portion having foot end legs. The body portion is itself divided into pivotably connected forward and rear portions, forward" being in relation to the back support. An upwardly extending rear lever is pivotably connected at its lower end to the side of the chesterfield; the other end of the rear lever is movable in an are below the back support. A swing lever is connected at a medial point to the other or upper end of the rear-lever with the portion of the swing lever forward of said medial point extending upward to pivotably connect with the rear portion of the support member. Means are provided to maintain the rear portion of the support member in a fixed position when the frame has been extended. On manually lifting rearwardly the forward portion, means release the swing lever to rotate it downwardly and then rearwardly on the rear lever with the swing lever lowering the rear portion of the support member into a lower rearward position through the horizontal. Further means then rotate the swing lever until it adopts a substantially horizontal position with the rear portion of the support member substantially vertical and the forward portion is substantially horizontal but in a lower plane and rearwardly than in the extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 4 is a side elevationshowing for greater clarity the rear portion of the mechanism prior to folding.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are side elevations, looking from the outside of the chesterfield illustrating the folding action of the mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation showing the mechanism fully folded.

It will be appreciated that while only one folding frame is illustrated on one side of the chesterfield, a similar frame will be located on the other side, both frames are connected by springs not shown on which rests a mattress 200.

It will also be appreciated from the description that while the folding frame illustrated in the drawings in cludes many of the members described and illustrated in the above mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,292,188, the members hereafter described and constituting the improvement which enables the frame described in the above mentioned U.S. Patent to be adapted to provide lower seat levels, may also be adapted to other folding frames.

The chesterfield frame which constitutes the carcass of the piece of furniture known as a chesterfield sofa or simply as a chesterfield is collectively designated 10. For the purpose of describing the invention, only the side member 12 and front rail 14 of the chesterfield is shown in FIG. 1 along with the back support 16 and associated stuffing bar 18 which defines the lower edge of the back support.

The chesterfield bed mechanism secured to the side member 12 is collectively designated 20 and, apart from said securement, it is composed of a plurality of sections, specified hereunder, which are serially connected. The description of the parts involves the use of the words forward and rear; these words unless otherwise specified refer to the position of the parts leading outward from the back support 16 when the mechanism is in the extended or bed position as shown in FIG. 1.

The mechanism 20 is fixedly secured to the side member 12 of the Chesterfield by means of a base plate 22 bolted to the side member 12.

The mechanism 20 includes a plurality of angle support sections pivotably connected, namely a rear angle section 24 connected at 26 to a forward angle or body section 28 in turn connected at 30 to an end angle section 32. One end of a tubular member 34 is secured at 36 to the forward end of the end angle section 32. A foot end leg 38 is medially connected at 40 to the tubular member 34 which provides for containment of the mattress 200 which lies on springs, not shown secured to the plurality of support sections 24, 28 and 32 by well known meanssuch as hooks located in holes in these sections.

A set of members all pivotally, and in some cases slidably connected to others as further specified extend along the foldable mechanism when considered in the extended or bed position of the accompanying FIG. 1 and certain of these members will be given specific names for greater particularity hereafter.

In the extended position the upper portion of the front end floor contacting leg 38 beyond its connection point 40 is sharply curved rearwardly to be substantially parallel to the tubular member 34. The rear end of the front leg 38 is connected at 42 to the end of an arm 44 and the other end of the latter is pivoted at 46 to the end angle section 32.

One end ofa snubbing bar not shown is pivotably and slidingly connected through a slot 50 to the forward section 28; the snubbing bar spans connection point 30 and is pivotably connected to the end angle section 32.

A radius bar 54 is pivotably connected at 36 to the end section 32. Rearwardly adjacent to the connection point 36, the radius bar 54 is sharply angulated to provide an outward projection 56. A further snubbing bar 58 is pivotably secured to the arm 44 at 60 and extends past the projection 56 for pivotal securement to the radius bar 54 at 62.

In the bed position the bar 58 bears on the projection 56, and in conjunction with the bar 48, is part of a system to prevent collapse of the forward section along with other members described hereunder.

The mechanism 20 provides an intermediate floor engaging leg 64. The lower end of a brace 66 is pivotably connected at 68 to the leg 64. The upper end of the brace 66 is connected at 30 to the forward angle section 28.

The lower end of an angulated swing lever or boomerang link 70 is pivotably connected to the upper end of the intermediate leg 64. The swing lever 70 has a headed pin 74 positioned slightly below its rearward angulation. The rear end of the radius bar 54 has a slot 76 and the pin 74 rides therein.

Medially of its ends the radius bar 54 has secured thereto at 78 one end of a tension bar 80 which extends rearwardly to pivotably connect at 82 with the forward end of a bell crank, generally denoted by the numeral 84, comprising a locking arm 86 which has an outwardly projecting shoulder 88 and an operating arm 90.

The bell crank 84 and tension bar provide the novel locking assembly described in the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,292,188 for the mechanism in the bed position. More particularly the shoulder 88 is adapted to bear against the upper edge of a main lever 92 pivotably connected at its lower end at 94 to the base plate 22. The bell crank 84 is pivoted at 95 to a main link 98.

The upper end of the main lever 92 is connected at 96 to the main link 98 the connection 96 being forwardly of connection 94. The forward end of the main link 98 is connected at 100 to the rear end of the swing lever 70 in turn connected at 102 to the vertical flange of the forward angle section 28. A pin 104 projects outwardly of the forward angle section and bears against the swing lever 70 to act as a stop when the mechanism is in the bed position.

The main link 98 extends rearwardly and is connected at 106 to the rear angle section 24. The rear end of the main link 98 is sharply angulated downwardly beyond 106 to form an elbow 108 which is connected at 110 to one end of an upwardly and rearwardly extending short swing link 112. A downwardly and rearwardly extending long swing link 114 is connected at 116 to the other end of the short swing link 110.

The long swing link 114 has a pair of inwardly extending spaced apart arms 118 and 120, see more particularly FIG. 2. The arm 118 is located in a medial slot 122 provided in a rear swing lever 124. The long swing link 114 is pivotally connected at 126 adjacent the slot to the rear swing lever 124. The forward end of the rear swing lever 124 is connected at 128 to the rear end of the rear angle section 22. The slot 122 has an arcuate edge 130.

The lower end of an angulated rear lever 132 is pivotably connected at 134 to the base plate 22. The rear lever 132 at its angulation forms a rearwardly disposed included angle as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the upper end is pivotably secured at 136 to the rear swing lever 124. One end of a short link 138 is pivotably secured at 140 to the rear end of the rear lever 132. The other end of the short link 138 is secured at 142 to one end of a long link 144, see FIG. 4, the other end of which is pivotably connected at 146 to the base plate 22, see FIG. 3. The long link 144 has an outwardly extending headed pin 148 adjacent connection point 140.

One end of a cross brace 150 is secured at 152 to the rear lever 132. The other end of the cross brace 150 is secured at 154 to the long link 144.

The main lever 92 has an outwardly projecting headed pin 156; a spring 158 is secured on the pins 156 and 148. The swing links 112 and 114 in their over centre position illustrated in FIG. 4constitute a lock in conjunction with the spring 158 for the rear angle section 24.

FOLDING OPERATION In practice the folding action of the mechanism 20 from the extended position shown in FIG. 1 is smoothly continuous but on analysis it can be divided into two discernible stages. In the first stage the tubular member 34 is manually lifted and this releases the lock provided by the bell crank 86 and tension bar 70. Then the end angle section 32 pivots upwardly until it is practically normal to the forward angle section 28 while both the front end leg 38 and tubular member 34 rotate anticlockwise. Due to the combined action of the arm 44, and the linkage with the radius bar 54, the front end leg 38 and tubular member 34 finally lie in the same plane which is their finally folded position with respect to the end angle section 32, see dotted position in FIG. 1. In the remaining folding operation the above mentioned members move as one unit in fixed relation to the forward angle section 28.

In the second stage the manual pressure on the mechanism is upward and then rearwards. Means by way of movement of the main link 98 causes the rear swing lever 124 to rotate downwardly and then rearwardly through the vertical, taking with it the rear angle section 24 which has been forced to pivot with respect to the forward angle section 28, see FIG. 6.

More particularly this involves the use of the main lever 92 the upper end of which in the extended position is connected at 96 to the main link 98 in a position which is forward with respect to the pivotal connection at 94 of the main lever 92 to the base plate 22. The first movement of the main link 98 is pivotal about its connection point 96 causing the rear end of the main link 98 to drop. The elbow 108 pivotally moves the short swing link 112 clockwise or forwardly and this changes its overcentre position with respect to the long swing link 144 towards one in line, see FIG. 5. Arm 120 will then bear on the upper edge of the short swing link 122 so that the main link 98 acts through the short swing link 122 and long swing link 144 on the swing lever 122. The in line position of the long swing link 144 and short swing link 122 remains unchanged through the remainder of the folding operation but to accommodate the pivotal action of the rear swing lever 122 on the rear angle section 24, the arm 118 moves along the arcuate edge 130 of the medially located slot 122.

During the downward movement of the rear swing lever 122, the rear angle section 24 starts to pivot with respect to the forward angle section 28. This is accomplished by the connection of the main link 98 at its rear end to the rear angle section 24 and at its forward end to the rear end of the boomerang link 70 which is in turn connected medially at 95 to the forward angle section 28. Thus in effect the main link 98 spans in pivotal relationship the pivoted rear angle section 24 over the forward section 28. Rear arcuate movement of the main lever 92 causes its connection point 96 to initially move upwards and this causes the span toshorten; to accommodate this-change, the forward angle section 28 and rear angle section pivot into a V-formation. Due to the combined action of the rear swing lever 122 and the rotation of the boomerang the included angle between the rear angle section 24 and the forward section decreases and meanwhile the pivotal action of the lower end of the rear swing lever 122 clearing the fioor takes the rear angle section 24 under the back support. At the same time the pivotal action of the boomerang link takes the intermediate leg 64 into the storage position.

Linkage means come into effect on the swing lever 120 passing the vertical which enables the rear angle section 24 to further rotate into the stored position with respect to the forward angle section 28. This is accomplished by the combined effect of the short link 138, the long link 144 and brace 150 in conjunction with the rear lever 132.

During the movement described above, i.e., the swing lever 122 moving downwardly and rearwardly, the short link 138 swings forwardly and downwardly with the result that the rearwardly placed connection at 140 of the short link 138 with the swing lever 122 moves forwardly of the connection at 136 of the rear lever 132 to the swing lever 122. Hence the short link 138 with the long link 144 has an effective rear radial movement on the pivotal connection of the long link 144 at 146 as compared with the radial movement of the rear lever 124. Hence the medial connection of the latter to the rear swing lever 124 causes itto pivot upward primarily around the short link 138. Both the rear lever 124 and the long link 144 rotate rearwardly in their connections to the base plate 22 to lie closely together as shown in FIG. 8.

What is claimed is:

1. In a chesterfield bed frame having a back support and a side with a seat recess extending under and behind said back support, a mechanism foldable into said recess, said mechanism in its bed position providing a mattress supporting member forward of said back support, said support member being divided into a rear section and forward section pivotably connected, said mechanism having a main lever pivotably connected at one end to said frame, said main lever in the bed position extending upwardly and forwardly with respect to said back support, an upwardly extending rear lever pivotably connected at its lower end to said frame at a position rearward of said main lever; a swing lever medially pivoted to the upper end of said rear lever, said swing lever in the bed position extending forwardly for pivotal connection to said rear section, main link means rearwardly pivotably connected to said rear section and forwardly pivotably connected to said forward section, said main link means being medially pivotable on the upper end of said main lever to lower the rear end of said main link means and rotate said swing lever downwardly and rearwardly through the vertical about said rear lever thereby pivoting said rear section under said back support and linkage means operable with said rear lever to further rotate said swing lever upwardly behind said back support to store said rear section.

2. A foldable frame according to claim 1 wherein said main link means is angulated downwardly rearward of its connection to said rear section to provide an elbow, means pivotably connecting said swing lever to said elbow, a spring below said means connecting said main lever and said rear lever, said means with said spring constituting a lock to maintain said rear section in support position with said main section.

3. A foldable frame according to claim 2 wherein said means comprise a short swing link pivotably connected at one end to said swing lever, a long swing link pivotably connected to the other end of said short link, said long swing link being pivotably connected to said elbow, said short link and long link in the bed position having an over centre position with respect to said rear section.

4. A foldable frame according to claim 1 in which said elbow on lowering of said link means changes from an over-centre position to one substantially in line, and wherein said swing lever has an arcuate slot, said short swing link having first and second spaced apart arms, said first arm being located on said arcuate slot, said second arm, on changing to said in line position, bearing against the edge of said long swing link with said first arm riding on said arcuate slot while said swing lever rotates downwardly.

5. A foldable frame according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means consist of an upwardly extending long link the lower end of which is pivotally connected to dial point on said rear lever and at the other end to a medial point on said long link, said short link, long link, brace and rear lever cranking said swing lever upwardly behind said back support. 

1. In a chesterfield bed frame having a back support and a side with a seat recess extending under and behind said back support, a mechanism foldable into said recess, said mechanism in its bed position providing a mattress supporting member forward of said back support, said support member being divided into a rear section and forward section pivotably connected, said mechanism having a main lever pivotably connected at one end to said frame, said main lever in the bed position extending upwardly and forwardly with respect to said back support, an upwardly extending rear lever pivotably connected at its lower end to said frame at a position rEarward of said main lever; a swing lever medially pivoted to the upper end of said rear lever, said swing lever in the bed position extending forwardly for pivotal connection to said rear section, main link means rearwardly pivotably connected to said rear section and forwardly pivotably connected to said forward section, said main link means being medially pivotable on the upper end of said main lever to lower the rear end of said main link means and rotate said swing lever downwardly and rearwardly through the vertical about said rear lever thereby pivoting said rear section under said back support and linkage means operable with said rear lever to further rotate said swing lever upwardly behind said back support to store said rear section.
 2. A foldable frame according to claim 1 wherein said main link means is angulated downwardly rearward of its connection to said rear section to provide an elbow, means pivotably connecting said swing lever to said elbow, a spring below said means connecting said main lever and said rear lever, said means with said spring constituting a lock to maintain said rear section in support position with said main section.
 3. A foldable frame according to claim 2 wherein said means comprise a short swing link pivotably connected at one end to said swing lever, a long swing link pivotably connected to the other end of said short link, said long swing link being pivotably connected to said elbow, said short link and long link in the bed position having an over centre position with respect to said rear section.
 4. A foldable frame according to claim 1 in which said elbow on lowering of said link means changes from an over-centre position to one substantially in line, and wherein said swing lever has an arcuate slot, said short swing link having first and second spaced apart arms, said first arm being located on said arcuate slot, said second arm, on changing to said in line position, bearing against the edge of said long swing link with said first arm riding on said arcuate slot while said swing lever rotates downwardly.
 5. A foldable frame according to claim 1 wherein said linkage means consist of an upwardly extending long link the lower end of which is pivotally connected to said frame, a short link pivotably connected at one end to said long link, the other end of said short link being pivotably connected to the end of said swing lever opposed to the end of its connection to said rear section, a brace member pivotably secured at one end to a medial point on said rear lever and at the other end to a medial point on said long link, said short link, long link, brace and rear lever cranking said swing lever upwardly behind said back support. 